Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stirred laughter and political chatter in the state assembly during the farewell ceremony for Ambadas Danve, the outgoing Leader of Opposition and member of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction.
Turning to Thackeray, who was present in the House, Fadnavis quipped, “Uddhav-ji, there’s no scope for us going over there (the opposition) till 2029... But if you want to come over here, it can be considered. It depends on you.”
His tongue-in-cheek remark prompted chuckles from NDA MLAs, with Fadnavis adding that while Danve might be in the opposition, “his real thoughts are right-wing.”
While the comment was made in jest, it triggered speculation, particularly since it’s the first time Fadnavis publicly hinted at the possibility of reuniting with the Thackeray faction. Reports in the past have hinted that BJP has sent informal feelers, but Thackeray’s camp has always rebuffed such notions.
Later, Thackeray dismissed the comment lightly, saying, “These things are said jokingly. They should be taken as such.”
However, insiders suggest Fadnavis’s timing may not be accidental. With civic elections approaching, especially for Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the comment may also have been aimed at keeping Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in check.
Shinde has faced heat over his MLAs like Sanjay Gaikwad and Sanjay Shirsat, whose controversial remarks have embarrassed the ruling alliance.
Earlier this week, Shinde reportedly issued a stern warning to his legislators, urging them to control their tempers and not let success go to their heads, adding that their actions reflect on him directly.
Meanwhile, speculation continues that BJP and the Shinde-led Sena might contest the BMC polls separately — an outcome that could alter the Mahayuti power dynamics in the country’s richest civic body.
